96. Beauty // Luscious Lip Products: My Top Five

I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend and making the most of Sunday afternoon by reading blogs with a cup of tea, a long - somewhat blustery, I'd imagine - walk or cooking a delicious roast. I've had a great weekend consisting of lots of blogging, cleaning (well, it has to be done.. unfortunately.), cooking a delicious Thai curry, a gossip over a couple of rum and Coke's with the bestie and, of course, relaxing with a bottle of wine and some films, with the fella. 

Today I'm sharing my top five current favourite lip products. All the products that I've selected are high-street products, apart from one which can be purchased online or at a few select stores across the UK, and they're all available for under £10 - many of them are, in fact under £5! - so if you're looking for a budget-friendly treat for your lips, look no further.

*All photographs are taken from the brand's websites - apart from Max Factor 'Ruby Tuesday' source: cosmetic-cravings.blogspot.com  - as I couldn't find my camera lead *

MUA Power Pout in 'Irreplaceable'

This is my "go to" lip product of choice. I keep this gorgeous, hot pink lip balm stick on my desk at all times, and whenever I feel that I'm looking a little dull, I apply a quick swipe of this and, not only is my look instantly refreshed and brightened, but my lips feel nourished and soft straightaway.

You can find this product in Superdrug and online for just £3! How incredible is that? These lip tints come in a range of sumptuous colours, from a vivid orange to a deep plum. They also last all day, which is incredible considering the price. 

Max Factor Colour Elixir in 'Ruby Tuesday' 

I picked up this lovely lipstick whilst browsing in Superdrug last week, for just £5.99 - I believe the usual price is £7.99, but places like Superdrug and Boots often have brilliant offers on Max Factor products, so you may well find it for a special price, like I did.

I've been looking for a rich, bright red lip stick for a while now but I couldn't find anything quite right (or in my price range... if only I could afford MAC products). When I got home and applied the lipstick, I found that it was actually slightly pink rather than pure red, but I liked this as it wasn't quite as harsh as I sometimes find red lipstick to be. Overall, it's a lovely colour and it's got great lasting power, so I'd definitely recommend it. 

Boot's Natural Collection Mango & Papaya Coloured Lip Gloss

Now, I'm not usually a big fan of lip glosses as I quickly get tired of having to rearrange my hair after it's got stuck, once again, to my lips and my boyfriend also hates kissing me when I'm wearing it (boo hiss!) but when I spotted this lip gloss in Boot's whilst Christmas shopping, the name alone swayed me. Plus, as only £2.75, you can't really go wrong!

I love the smell and taste of exotic fruits, such as mango and papaya, so I knew that I'd love this product. Kindly, Shane bought it for me and gave me it as a stocking filler, which was really lovely. The lip gloss itself smells incredible, so fresh and fruity, and adds a lovely but subtle pop of colour to my lips. I'd describe it as a peachy colour, but it also goes fantastically over any colour lip stick, just to add some sheen. 

Bath House 'Earl Grey' Lip Balm

This is a discovery that I've been really excited to share with you as I think that so many of you will love the idea behind the Bath House's delicious lip balms. These foodie lip balms are all based on either cocktails, fruits or yummy desserts; from Gin & Tonic to Creme Brûlée, you're bound to find a flavour that you really love.

Based in Sedbergh, where my mother & grandparents live, all of the Bath House's products are up to 98% natural and are made on site at the shop - which I find super cool. Last time I was in Sedbergh, I picked up a little pot of their Earl Grey lip balm. Despite not actually liking Earl Grey, I thought the smell was incredible and it totally swayed me. The packaging is also adorable and the prices - at £4.95 for a pot (which lasts FOREVER) - aren't bad either.

You get an ever so slight tingling sensation of your lips after application and it leaves my lips feeling super soft, as it contains Cocoa Butter, Sweet Almond Oil and Vitamin E. I seriously urge you to take a look at their wonderful website to see their whole range of products.

Barry M 'Touch of Magic' Lip Paint

I know, I know, this lipstick is a bit of a fad but, seriously, I love it. I love the looks on my friends, family and colleagues faces when I pull this cheeky little lipstick out of my bag, they see the colour and then - "oh, wait! what? it's pink?!" 

The alkali levels in your lips determine what shade of pink the lipstick will turn on you, and on me it goes a wonderful bright pink which really brightens up my look when I've had to get ready in a rush, or I need a blast of colour to cheer myself up. 

Not only is the colour great, but the product lasts ages. I've read reviews where bloggers have said that, within hours, the colour had faded but, personally, I've not had that problem at all. The first time that I tried this product, I applied it in the evening and - no joke - it was still almost as bright when I woke up the next morning! I often apply this before work and it's still going strong when the clock strikes five - not bad for a budget £4.49 lipstick!

65. Beauty // My Skincare Routine Pt. 2

Now, I'm no beauty blogger or skincare buff (and you're all going to find this out in a few lines time...) but even I am a teensy little bit ashamed of the skincare routine I've picked up when staying at my boyfriends. Although there are a couple of good products, it's just not. very. good. 

The main problem is that when I stay with Shane, I can't be bothered arsing about spending a good half an hour cleansing, toning, moisturising, exfoliating, etc, etc, etc... *Yawn* It's just not realistic after a long day at work when all you want to do is get into bed, snuggle up and sleep.

So here it is. My no-holds-barred skincare routine: part two.

Look at the wipes! So many wipes! Apparently this is the ultimate skin-sin, although I'm not really sure why? *I love face wipes* As mentioned in the my skincare routine part one, I'm not prone to massive outbreaks of spots or a super-shiny face. I have slightly oily skin, around my nose and forehead in particular, and one or two spots on my chin, as well as very red cheeks. I've used face wipes for years as they're so handy, cheap, easy and effective and they've never really affected my skin negatively, honestly, so I don't really understand why everyone hates them so much? I feel sorry for skin wipes; beauty bloggers are using them as a scapegoat.

Anyway, so once I've used my Witch cleansing & toning wipes to remove the majority of my foundation, I then use Simple's Kind to Eyes make-up remover pads which - to be honest - I'm not a massive fan of. Compared to the eye make-up remover that I use when I'm at home, they're pretty naff. You have to rub quite hard to get mascara off and, occasionally, I even lose one or two eye lashes in the process which is never good.

I then use Amie's Radiant Dawn Exfoliating Daily Wash is actually brilliant; it's soap and oil free and has a really lovely texture, including vitamin E bursting beads. I've had this product for months and it's still going strong. The only downside is that the smell isn't particularly pleasant ~ I can't quite put my finger on it, but considering it contains green apple, lemon and blueberry extracts you'd expect it to smell a bit better. 

The second Witch product that features in this skincare routine is a total wonder product. I've been a fan of Witch's blemish stick for years now, having discovered it when I was about 14-years-old. Again, it's an oil free product which is ideal for me and it's so handy; you can carry it around with you wherever you go, it's discrete and it lasts for ages. Although I'm not really sure how hygienic it is, as I always use my finger to apply it, maybe I should use a brush instead? If anybody knows, let me know.

So, the my skincare routine part two, takes no longer than ten minutes from start to end and leaves my skin feeling fresh, clean and - as I haven't spent a ruddy fortune on products to achieve it - bloody happy too! However, my skin does still suffer from the odd spot or two and patches of oily skin, so I know my routine could do with some improvement... Feel free to share your skincare tips below.

(PS. I was just kidding about the face-wipes, before I get a barrage of abuse!! I do appreciate that they aren't very good for your skin but c'mon, you've got to be lazy sometimes!)

Lots of Love,

Becci xo